List of 63 best universities in Belgium

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Top 63 universities in Belgium ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 30.1M citations received by 1.02M academic publications made by 63 universities from Belgium, the popularity of 1,243 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Catholic University of Leuven

#10 in Europe

#62 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

2. Ghent University

#37 in Europe

#132 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1817

3. University of Liege

#83 in Europe

#226 in the World

Enrollment: 27,678
Founded: 1817

4. Catholic University of Louvain

Louvain-la-Neuve

#96 in Europe

#256 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1425

5. Free University of Brussels

#139 in Europe

#349 in the World

Enrollment: 31,606
Founded: 1834

6. University of Antwerp

#154 in Europe

#370 in the World

Founded: 2003

7. Free University of Brussels - VUB

#185 in Europe

#428 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 11,101
Founded: 1970

8. Hasselt University

#410 in Europe

#1030 in the World

Enrollment: 3,310
Founded: 1973

9. University of Namur

#411 in Europe

#1035 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 1849

10. University of Mons

#473 in Europe

#1221 in the World

Enrollment: 10,000
Founded: 2009

11. Institute of Tropical Medicine

#524 in Europe

#1375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1906

12. University College Ghent

#714 in Europe

#2071 in the World

Founded: 1995

13. Howest University of Applied Sciences

#1037 in Europe

#3655 in the World

Founded: 1995

14. Erasmus University College, Brussels

#1087 in Europe

#3926 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 1995

15. La Cambre National School of Visual Arts

#1264 in Europe

#4979 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1926

16. Antwerp Maritime Academy

#1433 in Europe

#6003 in the World

Founded: 1834

17. Odisee University of Applied Sciences

#1439 in Europe

#6013 in the World

Founded: 2014

18. Royal Conservatory of Brussels

#1469 in Europe

#6218 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1832

19. Evangelical Theological Faculty, Leuven

#1584 in Europe

#6929 in the World

Enrollment: 300
Founded: 1919

20. ICHEC Brussels Management School

#1585 in Europe

#6935 in the World

Enrollment: 2,500
Founded: 1954

21. Transnational University of Limburg

#1626 in Europe

#7149 in the World

Founded: 2001

22. Thomas More University of Applied Sciences

#1641 in Europe

#7257 in the World

Founded: 2014

23. University College of the Province of Liege

Jemeppe-sur-Meuse

#1665 in Europe

#7359 in the World

Founded: 2007

24. Artevelde University College Ghent

#1668 in Europe

#7363 in the World

Enrollment: 12,000
Founded: 2000

25. Vlerick Business School

#1669 in Europe

#7370 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1953

26. Plantijn University College

#1677 in Europe

#7394 in the World

Founded: 2013

27. University College Leuven-Limburg

#1691 in Europe

#7452 in the World

Founded: 1994

28. LUCA School of Arts

#1708 in Europe

#7510 in the World

Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 2012

29. VIVES

#1716 in Europe

#7535 in the World

Enrollment: 13,000
Founded: 2013

30. Provincial University College of Hainaut-Condorcet

#1730 in Europe

#7592 in the World

Founded: 2009

31. Karel de Grote - University College

#1736 in Europe

#7621 in the World

Founded: 1995

32. PXL University College

#1745 in Europe

#7654 in the World

Founded: 2013

33. Antwerp Management School

#1811 in Europe

#7857 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Founded: 1959

34. Saint-Louis University - Brussels

#1830 in Europe

#7915 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 4,213
Founded: 1948

35. Mosane Free University College

#1835 in Europe

#7925 in the World

Founded: 2008

36. Leonardo da Vinci University College

#1863 in Europe

#8014 in the World

Founded: 1994

37. University College of Louvain en Hainaut

#1910 in Europe

#8171 in the World

Founded: 2009

38. Albert Jacquard University College

#1919 in Europe

#8205 in the World

Enrollment: 3,000
Founded: 1995

39. School of Graphic Research

#1923 in Europe

#8213 in the World

Founded: 1999

40. EPHEC University College

#1946 in Europe

#8277 in the World

Enrollment: 7,000
Founded: 1969

41. Francisco Ferrer University College

#1971 in Europe

#8350 in the World

Founded: 1995

42. Higher National Institute of Performing Arts and Diffusion Techniques

#1975 in Europe

#8357 in the World

Founded: 1962

43. Brussels Free University College-Ilya Prigogine

#2007 in Europe

#8446 in the World

Founded: 1995

44. Royal Conservatory of Liege

#2039 in Europe

#8555 in the World

Founded: 1830

45. Arts - Academy of Arts

#2058 in Europe

#8598 in the World

Founded: 2012

46. School of Arts Saint-Luc de Liege

#2074 in Europe

#8665 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1890

47. University College of Namur-Liege-Luxembourg

#2094 in Europe

#8759 in the World

Founded: 2011

48. Higher Institute of Music and Pedagogy

#2136 in Europe

#8930 in the World

Founded: 1970

49. Institute of Visual Arts

Louvain-la-Neuve

#2140 in Europe

#8943 in the World

Enrollment: 500
Founded: 1959

50. University College of Bruxelles-Brabant

#2182 in Europe

#9122 in the World

Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 2016

51. Institut Superieur de Formation Sociale et de Communication

#2228 in Europe

#9293 in the World

Enrollment: 3,000

52. Robert Schuman University College

#2325 in Europe

#9725 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Founded: 1995

53. Galilee University College

#2328 in Europe

#9741 in the World

Founded: 1995

54. Hainaut University College

#2338 in Europe

#9784 in the World

Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1995

55. Academy of Fine Arts, Tournai

#2368 in Europe

#9946 in the World

Founded: 1756

56. Lucia de Brouckere University College

#2403 in Europe

#10182 in the World

Founded: 1995

57. Charlemagne University College

#2414 in Europe

#10253 in the World

Founded: 1995

58. University College of the Province of Namur

#2458 in Europe

#10514 in the World

Founded: 1995

59. Saint-Luc Institute of Tournai

#2475 in Europe

#10603 in the World

Founded: 1863

60. Vesalius College

#2497 in Europe

#10839 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 1,200
Founded: 1987

61. University College of the Town of Liege

#2525 in Europe

#11053 in the World

Founded: 1995

62. Institutes of Saint-Luc de Bruxelles

#2537 in Europe

#11184 in the World

Founded: 1882

63. School of Arts of the City of Liege

#2689 in Europe

#12504 in the World

Founded: 1836

The best cities to study in Belgium based on the number of universities and their ranks are Leuven, Ghent, Liege, and Louvain-la-Neuve.

Average cost of living for students in Belgium is $844 + $132-946 for rent (depends on where to live: dormitory, renting with a roommate or solo).